Mendy case: Court told how he grabbed woman’s groin at party

A woman said she was “shocked” when Premier League footballer Benjamin Mendy grabbed her groin during a party at his Cheshire mansion, a court has heard.

The alleged victim told Chester Crown Court the 28-year-old player was “really trying to grab” her between her legs as he passed her during the gathering at his home – The Spinney in Mottram St Andrew – in the early hours of January 2, 2021.

The woman said, moments after the alleged assault, the Manchester City left-back and former France international made a sexual gesture towards her, the jury was told.

She also alleged he told her she looked better when she smiled before she challenged him, prompting him to apologise, the court heard.

In an interview with police, played to the jury on Tuesday, the woman said: “He’s sort of just grabbed my vagina and I just immediately stopped and thought ‘What has just happened?’

She later added: “I was just shocked. I think I was just taken aback by it because I was just shocked and then realising what had just happened.”

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The court also heard she immediately went to a bathroom to smoke with her friend but found the door was locked.

She said her friend called for someone to unlock the door, and Mendy came to open it.

The woman said: “I went into the bathroom and we were facing each other  and he’s sort of gestured to giving me oral sex.

“I just sort of turned around and then my friend came in and I told her what happened and she was just shocked, as we both were, and I don’t understand where that came from because there was minimal conversation.” The trial continues.